Slovakia's president Thursday asked Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini to form a new government after accepting the premier's resignation following a public backlash over an investigative journalist's murder.

President Andrej Kiska handed Pellegrini -- who is closely allied with embattled outgoing Prime Minister Robert Fico -- the mandate in a ceremony televised live.

Fico offered to resign after Most-Hid called for early elections and said it would quit the coalition government if talks failed.

Street protests this month saw tens of thousands of Slovak demonstrate against the government.

Kiska should respect the outcome of the 2016 parliamentary elections, respect and uphold the coalition agreement that forms the basis of the current government, and accept that Fico's Smer-SD party would put forward a candidate to replace him, the prime minister demanded.

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